Apparently despite the exposure from the show and Danielle’s tremendous celebrity, “the restaurant just never took on, and partners Mike Malin and Lonnie Moore of The Dolce Group were forced to throw in the towel,” Eater LA reports. “We gave it a shot but it just never picked up traction,” Lonnie Moore explains of the closing.

The restaurant received lukewarm reviews, and despite heavy promotion (and even a Groupon offer), never seemed to improve from there. Then in September the restaurant was forced to temporarily close after a reported cockroach infestation! One month later they shut down their doors “indefinitely.”

Danielle hasn’t released a statement yet about the fate of Lemon Basket, though she did Tweet the following to fans wishing her well: “I appreciate the well wishes.” Now that she’s no longer in the restaurant business, I guess Danielle could always return to her former career of stripping reality TV villainess.

Do you think the tragic name had anything to do with it? Or that diners were afraid of actually running into Danielle while eating there?

Photo Credit: FayesVision/WENN.com

Are you surprised the restaurant closed after only 5 months? Would you (or did you) ever eat there?